Castlefield INSIGHTS

In this issue:

OUR ANNUAL STEWARDSHIP REPORT

We’re very pleased to present the most recent comprehensive assessment detailing our Thoughtful Investment approach, Impact Reporting, Stewardship, Engagement, Case Studies and Voting Activity. -p.3

SUN IS SHINING; KEEP ON SMILING

After a series of bank holiday weekends, you may think it’s been a bit quieter at Castlefield. But we’re delighted to invite you to step into the world of the Thoughtful Investor ® with this latest Summer Castlefield Insights Newsletter.

In this edition, our annual stewardship report takes centre stage, as it showcases the scale of stewardship and engagement activities we’ve undertaken through active ownership over the prior twelve months. It’s a comprehensive assessment that closely follows the Financial Reporting Council’s UK Stewardship Code reporting requirements, so it covers a broad range of subjects. However, it’s primarily designed to outline our approach to sustainable and responsible investment -so it’s a useful demonstration of why we’re known as the Thoughtful Investor ®. If you only read one report, please make sure it’s this one! (page 3)

We also celebrate a few recent successes as we were honoured to have been recognised as the 'Best Adviser Firm for ESG' at a recent leading industry awards, along with being named as one of the best financial advice firms to work for. There are other achievements too, both individually and as a firm which we’re proud to share with you (page 7).

Our expert team share a collection of case studies that delve into the realms of responsible investment, highlighting the power of engagement for sustainable change, plus thought-provoking opinion pieces, shedding light on the evolving landscape of responsible investing (page 3 & 4). Additionally, we’ve also published another in-depth thematic report, analysing the energy efficiency of our property assets as we transition to a greener economy (page 4). If you weren’t already aware, we conduct all research and analysis internally, with individual authors taking responsibility for the content they produce - it’s a busy and engaged investment team we have at Castlefield.

Castlefield Co-owners are also frequently invited to feature in external press pieces or appear on related

Financial Advice

podcasts discussing related topics such as net zero engagement. We’ve included a selection for you in this issue to enjoy (page 5).

Hopefully all of these go some way to demonstrate how the Thoughtful Investor® works in practice.

As ever, if you would like to provide feedback or you have any suggestions for future pieces, we’d be delighted to hear from you.

W ritten by: Nathan Cameron, Manager, Marketing Communications

Financial Planning Calendar

The Castlefield financial planning calendar is your handy planning guide for the year ahead. Find out what tips Hugh and Lucy have included for the summer months here: https://www.castlefield.com/home/media/blog/castlefield-financialplanning-calendar/

Philanthropy

We recently partnered with The Charity Service to launch our new Philanthropy service.

The Individual Philanthropy Account helps Castlefield clients give money to charity in an easier and more meaningful way, ensuring donations are invested ethically.

https://www.castlefield.com/home/media/blog/castlefield-launchesindividual-philanthropy-account-ipa/

Charity Advice Service

Our specialist Charity Investment Advice Service has been designed to benefit charities who have identified a specific need for one-off advice, by guiding them through the necessary steps and working with them to ensure their mission is supported for the long-term. This may include helping to understand what level of risk they're comfortable with, providing guidance on the investment duties and responsibilities of a charity trustee, or helping to define their objectives so they have clarity on their shortand medium-term priorities.

Find out more about our range of services here: https://www.castlefield.com/home/ourservices/